Stem cell question [Archive] - Two Plus Two Older Archives

NutzyClutz

11-20-2005, 11:13 PM

Would it be good idea to freeze your newborn's placenta/umbilical cord? Or even earlier, take a sample from the early stages of embryo? If the child gets ill later in life, they would have a perfect donor.

soko

11-21-2005, 12:22 AM

Who can afford that?

purnell

11-21-2005, 06:11 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Would it be good idea to freeze your newborn's placenta/umbilical cord? Or even earlier, take a sample from the early stages of embryo? If the child gets ill later in life, they would have a perfect donor.

[/ QUOTE ]

The cells must be kept alive in a tissue culture. Freezing the cells would make them useless (dead).

http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics2.asp